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If you have been thinking about pursuing an instrument rating, this informational page will help you decide whether this next step is right for you. 

What Can I Do With an Instrument Rating?

As a Private Pilot, you are well aware of the weather minimums concerning VFR flight.  All VFR pilots have felt the frustration of having to cancel a flight due to weather conditions on many occasions.  An instrument rating can give you the confidence and the legal privilege to flying during weather conditions that are less than VFR.  However, the instrument rating is not just about bad weather!  It will also further your understanding of your aircraft's instrument systems, make you more confident with ATC and the airspace system, make you a better VFR pilot and add an extra layer of precision to your existing flying skills.

Consider a couple of real-life scenarios which most experienced pilots have encountered many times:

Scenario 1:

A pilot flies to a cross country destination for the day under VFR conditions.  While getting ready to leave, the pilot notes a low overcast layer of clouds moving in quickly.  Since the pilot is not instrument rated, he decides that it is not safe to proceed with the flight below the clouds and therefore postpones the return trip.  

An instrument rated pilot in a similar situation can climb through the cloud layer  to beautiful VFR conditions and proceed safely to their home airport while remaining above the clouds most of the time. 

Scenario 2:

A pilot is on a cross country trip when weather conditions begin to deteriorate unexpectedly.  The cloud ceilings become lower and lower and nearby terminals are reporting visibility of 5 miles with ceilings between 800 and 1200 feet.  A VFR pilot would have to remain in VFR conditions, possibly by reversing course, and land before the conditions get any worse.  If the nearby terminals are reporting IFR, the additional stress of a Special VFR clearance would be necessary.

An IFR pilot in a similar situation can file a flight plan in the air and then obtain an IFR clearance to the destination.  No significant changes of course or unexpected stops would be necessary in this case.   The pilot may then land at the destination either visually or by flying a published instrument approach procedure, as weather dictates.

What is IFR, exactly?

IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules.  As the name suggests, it is a set of rules under which a flight may be conductive.   To fly under IFR does not automatically mean flying through bad weather.  A pilot may utilize IFR services in any kind of weather conditions---even clear skies.  To do this, an instrument pilot must file a flight plan and then obtain an IFR clearance to a destination or other clearance limit by requesting it from ATC. 

All flights on an IFR flight plan are separated from each other by ATC as long as the flights are taking place in controlled airspace.  In order to do this, ATC assigns each IFR flight a route which the pilot is expected to fly.   Air traffic controllers are responsible for monitoring and enforcing the separation between all active IFR flights.  Additionally, they will provide traffic advisories to both IFR and participating VFR traffic on a workload permitting basis. 

When operating on an active IFR flight plan, a pilot may freely enter and exit any clouds while traveling en route.  However, even instrument rated pilots must still see and avoid VFR traffic when operating under IFR in visual meteorological conditions.   The VFR cloud clearance requirements are there to prevent midair collisions between IFR flights that are exiting the clouds and VFR flights which are in the vicinity of clouds.

When approaching an airport for landing, IFR flights will be sequenced for landing by ATC.  When appropriate, IFR traffic will cleared to fly published instrument approach procedures which guarantee the pilot terrain clearance while descending into the destination airport terminal.  The pilot must meet certain criteria before a landing may be accomplished, not the least of which is being able to see the runway environment after descending to a minimum published altitude.   Once on the ground, the IFR flight plan is cancelled either by ATC or the pilot.

Aside from weather considerations, there are some hidden advantages to flying under IFR:

• Separation services are provided by ATC for all IFR aircraft in controlled airspace

• Traffic advisories are provided on a workload permitting basis

• It is often easier to operate at busy terminals under IFR than under VFR.

• Actively avoiding certain types of airspace (restricted areas, MOAs, etc) is not necessary because ATC will route you around it.

• Communication with ATC is seamless-- the pilot is handed off from controller to controller automatically by ATC.  This takes the guesswork out of figuring out who to call on the radio next. 

• IFR is very procedural in nature.  The pilot will usually know what to do next and when to do it.

What must I do to stay instrument "current"?

All good things require practice and exercising IFR privileges is  no exception.   In order to fly under IFR in any weather conditions, the pilot must maintain a minimum level of proficiency.  The FAA regulations prescribe very minimal proficiency requirements, which are generally not sufficient for safe operation in all types of weather.   Therefore, in addition to the minimum FAA requirements, pilots must make up their own proficiency requirements and personal minimums checklist.

The FAA regulations require the pilot, within the past 6 calendar months, to fly 6 instrument approaches under actual or simulated IFR conditions and must include navigational tracking and holding procedures.  This can usually be accomplished in one or two flights, which is why it is questionable to rely on these minimum requirements alone for safe operation.   A good instrument pilot should plan to practice approach procedures, navigation tracking and holding patterns at least every two months.  Even then, the pilot must determine what minimum weather criteria must be necessary, over and above the legal requirements, in order to remain safe---not just legal.

Therefore, remaining instrument current can be a challenge.  However, for active pilots, this is generally not a problem.  As most instrument rated pilots will tell you, flying under IFR can be just as much fun as it is hard work! 

What are the worst conditions I'll be able to fly in as an Instrument Rated Pilot?

Just like VFR flying, IFR pilots have personal minimums that are often higher than the legally required minimums.  A pilot's personal minima are usually based on a number of factors including his or her total flying experience, IFR experience, experience in a particular type of aircraft or experience in certain types of weather.   A pilot may also opt for higher minimums when carrying non-pilot passengers vs. when flying with other pilots.

It is possible to wind up in very hairy weather conditions while being legal the entire time.  For instance, Part 61 flights may legally depart with 0 visibility and 0 cloud ceiling, although this is generally regarded by most pilots as dangerous no matter which  kind of aircraft is involved.    It is situations like these that can often lead to accidents---pilots, tempted by the legal ability to do something, may make unwise decisions (perhaps motivated by get-there-itis) and wind up in a ditch on the other end of the runway.  Rather than asking how bad the weather can be while still operating legally, a better question to ask is how good the weather must be in order to be safe, particularly if something goes wrong with the flight.  Making safe decisions is precisely what we train you to do.

What Can't I Do with an Instrument Rating? 

Unfortunately, an instrument rating will not make you or your airplane invincible.   Just like VFR pilots, IFR pilots must worry about the clouds and visibility too---perhaps even more so.    If the clouds and visibility do not meet certain minimum criteria, an instrument pilot may not be able to physically or legally land the aircraft at the intended destination.   

Of course, other weather phenomenon such as wind, apply to the same to IFR flying as it does to VFR flying.   For instance, simply holding an instrument rating will not reduce the effects of turbulence, wind sheer, nor will it protect you from dangerous types of precipitation such as freezing rain and hail, or icing conditions in the clouds.

An instrument rating is not an excuse to launch into dangerous weather.  It should be regarded by the pilot as a tool which can be used safely under certain circumstances.  Those circumstances are dictated by the weather, your experience, and the regulations.   As long as the pilot proceeds with this understanding and has a descent respect for mother nature, there is no reason why an instrument rated pilot cannot make every flight a safe one.  After all, the whole point of an instrument rating is to increase the margin of safety, not decrease it!